ALSO in Basilicata there were numerous reactions against the approval of the law on differentiated autonomy. The opposition is reacting lively and responded to the Northern League deputies who displayed secessionist and anti-South flags in Parliament with tricolor flags and with the text of the Constitution in their hands. There were also numerous adverse reactions in Basilicata and in the other regions of Southern Italy, in Calabria where President Occhiuto, deputy secretary of Forza Italia, expressed many doubts about the new law (READ OCCHIUTO’S STATEMENTS).
“Law that splits Italy. The secessionist League won aided by the self-styled patriots of FdI. Tonight the right approved the law on Differentiated Autonomy, a law that splits Italy, putting national cohesion and unity at risk. The secessionist League won aided by the self-styled patriots of the Brothers of Italy. A reform against the interests of the South, which will increase territorial inequalities by removing resources where investments would be needed”, writes the dem deputy Enzo Amendola, elected in Basilicata.
Reactions also on the Five Star front: «Today is a funereal day for Basilicata, for the South and for the whole country – Alessia Araneo and Viviana Verri, Lucanian regional councilors of the M5s, write in a note – «During the long and troubled night just passed, the center-right majority approved the Calderoli bill (dll) on differentiated autonomy. A bill that impoverishes state coffers and subtracts several billion from the public budget. The latter sums are used for the benefit of the community for the management of matters of fundamental importance, such as health, education, energy and infrastructure.” «A bill – continue Alessia Araneo and Viviana Verri – which perpetrates yet another slap in the face of the South and which risks decreeing the extinction of Basilicata, the most demographically vulnerable region of the South. Brothers of Italy, after having stocked up on votes for the South, betrays the much vaunted homeland and sells the South to the Northern League in exchange for the premiership.”
«An ignoble barter to the detriment of our region and of all the disadvantaged areas of the country – comment Alessia Araneo and Viviana Verri – those who already have more resources will have even more and those who already have little will have less and less. A decidedly unconstitutional bill, which violates the principles of solidarity and cohesion at the basis of our Constitution. The person who signed, among others, this death sentence for the South – which does not need ordinary political initiatives, but rather extraordinary ones – was the newly re-elected president Vito Bardi. Vito Bardi who, before being re-nominated for the presidency of the Basilicata Region, in defiance of the discussion held in the regional council, said Yes to Giorgia Meloni’s scandalous proposal, probably in the hope of not being questioned at the helm of the Region itself”, they argue always Alessia Araneo, Viviana and Verri. «Today, having won the elections, he celebrates the “success” of the centre-right, but deplores, very timidly, the acceleration of the parliamentary process. Perhaps, it was his Calabrian counterpart Occhiuto who determined the scruple of conscience, who instead raised some objections to the bill. But if the Calabrian parliamentarians voted against the Calderoli bill, it is good to know that – with the sole exception of the Honorable Lomuti – the other Lucanian parliamentarians Caiata, Mattia and Rosa voted yes to the condemnation of Basilicata – continue Alessia Araneo and Viviana Verri, – with all due respect to the great southerners who defended this land with their bare hands, the Lucanian representatives of the right have capitulated and sold out Basilicata. Fortunately, however, our region is much more and we are certain of the fact that the M5s, together with all the other oppositions, the civic and associative forces of our territory will be able to do what certain politics has stopped doing: protect the rights of Lucanian community and safeguard the cohesion of the country”.
Opposition to the law on differentiated autonomy is also expressed by the trade unions: “The law on differentiated autonomy will further penalize Basilicata and the South, undermining the unity of the country. Let’s open a public debate in Basilicata and the governors of the southern regions will network so that the national government does an about-face to protect the territories from this unfortunate decision”. This was stated by the general secretary of the CGIL Basilicata Fernando Mega.
“The opposition expressed by the president of the Calabria Region, of Fi, also paid attention to by the president of the Basilicata Region Vito Bardi, is a signal that the national government cannot ignore – added Mega – it is not a party issue but one of survival. The north cannot exist without the south. Seeing members of the League celebrate in the chamber by waving some Po Valley flag, as well as being disrespectful towards institutions and citizens, is an indication of the high level of alarm about the growing anti-Southernism that could explode, taking the country back sixty years. As CGIL we will activate all the democratic tools available to prevent Italy’s prospects from being compromised. We therefore ask the regional government of Basilicata to evaluate every institutional initiative useful for this purpose, starting from the possibility of promoting, on the basis of article 127, second paragraph, of the Constitution, the question of constitutional legitimacy to protect the sphere of competence of the Region ”.
